6/29/09

6/28/09

Summer is here. Sun up early. Coffee at six. Feed the dog. Pack up the little airplanes and off to the gym. Breakfast of cookies and apples courtesy of George. By eleven o'clock my motorcycle pants are too hot for the gym.

Mike's dime scale Boeing B-9

A pair of Beech Staggerwings, both by Mike. The smaller one is a Pistachio sized No-Cal.

Mike's B-25 Pistachio

Ed's new Bambino is almost ready for its maiden flight.

I didn't take many pictures today. Maybe Tom will post some of his and expand on this report.

6/14/09

Why are Richard, Brian and Ding standing around like they're doing a coffee commercial at the inaugural FAC Squadron 27 contest?

Well take a look at the windsock - it's actually going up!

Other than the impossible wind, conditions were perfect at the Sam 27 Lakeville field this morning, when a bunch of us gathered to do combat with balsa weapons. My attempts to fly dime scale gave a good impression of a demented butterfly, while Ed's gollywock and Ray's Skokie could have won downwind distance records with one flight each. Tyler did really well with his pseudo dime chambermaid - which is about as esoteric as this "hobby" gets - but Dave's staggerwing looked promising too.

The FAC contest is now postponed, but we will announce a new date within days. It's a pity because quite a few people turned up. Dave took it pretty well considering his competitive nature, but he quickly started figuring out how many even better models he can build in the meantime.

Kermit helped out with timing, and provided his hi-tech (no longer available) stooge. Ray checked it out and came to the conclusion you would need at least a milling machine to make a copy.

Ed just found out his gollywock is illegal with a folding prop, and is considering the parallel bars instead.

Happy if flightless day. Thanks to everyone for the fine conversation.

6/5/09

This kit had been sitting in the garage for the last five years or so until I recently watched the restored P40 out of Schellville tearing around the skies over Sonoma. (Schellville airport)

It inspired me against my better judgment to build the kit. Yes it's a bit heavy, even after drilling a series of holes in all the bulkheads and keel, but it looks pretty good and provided I can work out the noseblock it might manage 30 seconds - well 20 anyway. Not a contender in the WWII combat mass launch on 6/14.

I will be at Lakeville on Sunday in the hope of getting in some testing for this event. How about you?

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those people who took part in the crucial D-Day landings 65 years ago tomorrow, and pay tribute to their amazing bravery.

I am trying to finish my pseudo dime scale P-51B in time for our FAC contest next weekend. Will it be ready in time? Will the A's win the pennant this year? Will I get a BMW and ride from Key West to Prudhoe Bay in the Iron Butt Rally? You never know.